안녕하세요. 토미입니다.
I am so happy to teach you Korean today.
Today, we will learn 반말!! Casual talk!!
You can get closer to your Korean friends when casually talking naturally.
Casual talk is super duper easy if you can already use honorifics!
However, there are several forms that you need to be careful with.
We will dig into this part today as well.
Today’s lesson is packed with many things.
① casual talk that takes 요 out of 요 form, -야/이야 “it’s something,” -지 마 “don’t do something,”
② an interrogative form, -니 and -냐
③ an imperative form -아/어라 “do something”
④ a solicitation form -자 “let’s do something”
This lesson is almost a roundup of casual talk.
Let’s work on it together for our bright future, so you can use casual talk naturally with your Korean friends!
I know you can do it!
그럼 시작할게요！
Casual talk: 반말
Verbs • Adjectives + 아/어
I have taught you respectful ways of speaking.
For example, you can use 합니다 and 해요 to express politeness.
In contrast, 반말 is “a casual way of speaking.”
Most 반말 will be made if you take out 요 from the “요 form.”
In other words, you have to say goodbye to 요.
Adiós, sayonara, 再见(Zàijiàn)
Whatever languages are acceptable, as long as you have to say goodbye to 요, okay?
For example, there are phrases ending with 해요, -네요, -(으)ㄹ게요, -(으)ㄹ래요 and so on, right?
All we have in common is the last syllable, 요.
You can think of this 요 at the end as a magic spell that makes all sentences more formal and polite.
So, if you remove 요 from these sentences, you can change polite sentences to casual ones.
Easy peasy lemon squeezy.
Let’s see some examples of removing 요.
When you remove 요 from 먹어요 “I eat (sir or ma’am)” it becomes 먹어 “I eat”
When you remove 요 from 가요 “I go (sir or ma’am),” it will become 가 “I go.”
Also, when you remove 요 from 맛있네요 “it’s tasty(sir or ma’am), it is going to be 맛있네. “It’s yummy.”
In the same way, when you remove 요 from 할게요 “I will do it (sir or ma’am),” it will be 할게 “I’ll do it.”
These phrases don’t mean “sir or ma’am,” but I just want to express the tone of casual talk.
OK, now, let’s read an example sentence.
Verb: Example 1
너 오늘 몇 시에 와?
What time are you coming?
Here, 오다 is “to come.” This 요 form is 와요.
You take out 요 from it to make 와.
In addition, 너 is the casual pronoun for “you.”
Let’s move on to the following sentence!
Verb: Example 2
내일은 1시까지 도착하면 돼.
You can arrive tomorrow by 1 pm.
Here, 되다 is “to be.”
The 요 form of 되다 is 돼요.
You remove 요 from it, goodbye 요, and make 돼.
Adjective: Example 3
난 이게 좋아.
I like this.
This is a straightforward sentence.
The 요 form of 좋다 “to like” is 좋아요.
You remove 요 from it to make 좋아.
In addition, 난 is the shortened version of 나는
나 is a casual pronoun for “I.” And 는 is the topic marker.
Let’s move on to the following sentence!
Quiz
Now, let’s deepen your understanding by taking some quizzes.
Which one is the correct casual talk?
1. 언니도 같이 ( ).
You should play games with us, sister.
(１)게임할래요? (2)게임해
Here, the correct answer is (2).
게임하다 is “to play a game.”
The 요 form is 게임해요.
You say goodbye to 요, adios, and make 게임해.
Now, let’s read it together.
언니도 같이 (게임해).
Imagine that you are going to invite your sister to play a fun game.
Now, let’s move on to the following quiz.
2. 어? 밖에 비가 ( ).
Oh? It’s raining outside.
(１)오네요 (2)오네
The correct answer is (2).
Here, 비가 오다 is “to rain.”
The polite way of speaking is 오네요.
You take out the 요 from this, goodbye 요, and make 오네.
Let’s read it together.
어? 밖에 비가 ( ). “Oh? It’s raining outside.”
Please read it at least three times, imagining it has just started raining.
반말
Nouns(without a final consonant) + 야
Nouns(with a final consonant) + 이야
Okay, I hope you’ve warmed up!
I said that understanding 반말 is complete mainly by removing 요 from the end of a sentence.
However, there are some tricky parts.
There are not many.
So don’t worry! And let’s look at the following situations.
The first grammar is -예요/이에요 “is/are.”
This will change to -야/이야 in casual talk.
You will attach -야 to a noun, which does not have a final consonant, and -이야 to a noun, which has a final consonant.
.
For example, 오빠 is an “elder brother” used only by a younger girl.
Since 오빠 does not have a final consonant, you attach 야 at the end to make 오빠야.
형 is also an “elder brother” but is used only by a younger boy.
And 형 has a final consonant, so it is going to be 형이야.
In the same way, 아니에요 will become 아니야. And -(으)ㄹ 거예요 will be -(으)ㄹ 거야.
Verbs + 지 마
One more thing to remember is -지 마세요 “Please do not do something.”
This will become -지 마.
I will read an example sentence.
Noun: Example 1
이건 내 거야.
This is mine.
Since 내 거 “mine” does not have a final consonant, you attach -야 at the end to make 내 거야.
Let’s read the following example sentence.
Noun: Example 2
너 언제 졸업이야?
When do you graduate?
Since 졸업 “graduation” has a final consonant, you use -이야 to make 졸업이야.
Imperative form of prohibition: Example 3
알았으니까 제발 울지 마.
Okay, so please don’t cry.
울다 “cry,” you add -지마 to “울다,” it becomes 울지마(don’t cry).
Quiz
Now, let’s deepen your understanding by taking simple quizzes.
Which one is the appropriate casual language?
1. 저기 서 있는 사람이 ( )?
Who is standing there?
(１)누구세요 (2) 누구야
The correct answer is (2).
Since 누구 “who” does not have a final consonant, you will attach -야? and say 누구야? “who is it?”
Now let’s read it together.
저기 서 있는 사람이 (누구야)?
Please read it at least three times, imagining a scary moment.
Let’s see the following quiz!
2. 너 정말 같이 ( )?
Are you sure you’re not going?
(１) 안 갈 거야? (2) 안 갈 거예요?
The correct answer is (1).
거 from 안 갈 거 does not have a final consonant, so you attach 야 at the end to make 안 갈 거야?
Let’s read it together, imagining you try to make sure with your friend.
너 정말 같이 (안 갈 거야)?
Good!! Let’s move on!
-니/-냐,-아/어라,-자
Verb • Adjectives + 니?
Verb • Adjectives + 냐?
Next, let’s learn an interrogative sentence -니 or -냐, an imperative sentence -아/어라, and a solicitation sentence -자.
These grammatical terms, such as interrogative, imperative, and solicitation, sound too difficult for me so that I will explain each in an easy term.
An interrogative sentence is a sentence that asks a question, like “Are you okay?” “Are you following?”
An imperative sentence is a sentence that demands that someone do something. So it is like “Run!” or “Go!”.
And a solicitation sentence invites someone to do something like “Let’s eat pizza!”
Is your head clear now? Let’s move on.
First, we’ll look at an interrogative sentence -(이)니 or -(이)냐. You can attach -이니 or -이냐 when a noun has a final consonant and -니 or -냐 when a noun does not have a final consonant.
You can also attach -니 or -냐 to a verb stem regardless of a final consonant, such as 기쁘니? 좋냐？
Does it also apply to a past tense -았/었- like 먹었니? 먹었냐?
And a future tense -겠 like 가겠니? 가겠냐？
It’s also important to remember that -냐? can sound a little rough or even condescending.
So, you must be mindful of the context when using this expression.
Verbs + 아/어라
Next is the imperative sentence -아/어라 “do smth.”
You can make an imperative sentence by removing ‘요’ from the 요 form and replacing it with -라.
For example, the 요 form of 가다 is 가요.
You exchange 요 to -라 to make 가라 “go.”
For 먹다 (to eat), the 요 form is 먹어요.
You exchange 요 for 라 to make 먹어라 “eat.”
For your information, you can remove ‘요’ from the 요 form to speak in the imperative language.
For example, 가 “go” or 먹어 “eat.”
Verbs + 자
Lastly, let’s learn about soliciting sentences -자 “let’s do smth.”
You attach -자 to a verb stem regardless of a final consonant.
For example, 가다 “to go” will be 가자 “let’s go,” and 먹다 will be 먹자 “let’s eat.” Pretty easy.
Now, let’s read some sentences.
Interrogative sentence: Example 1
넌 어느 게 더 비싸 보이니?
Which one looks more expensive to you?
Here, 비싸 보이다 means “to look expensive.”
You attach -니 to its verb stem to make 비싸 보이니? “Does it look expensive?”
Let’s see the following example sentence!
Imperative sentence: Example 2
내가 올 때까지 여기 앉아 있어라.
Sit still until I come here.
Here, 앉아 있다 means “to sit still.” This 요 form is 앉아 있어요.
You can exchange this 요 to -라, to make 앉아 있어라 “Sit still.”
Since this tone is slightly firm, parents can say this to their children.
앉아 있어 has the same meaning, and Korean people use 앉아 있어 more commonly than 앉아 있어라.
Let’s see the following sentence!
Soliciting sentence: Example 3
자, 얼른 밥 먹고 출발하자.
Let’s quickly eat and head out.
Here, 출발하다 is “to head out.”
You attach -자 to the verb stem to make 출발하자 “let’s head out.”
Quiz
Now, let’s deepen your understanding by answering a few simple questions.
What is the correct answer?
1. 아니, 이 밤중에 어떻게 혼자 ( )?
Why did you come here by yourself at this time of night?
(１)왔구나? (2)왔냐?
The correct answer is (2)!
왔다 means “came.”
You only need to attach -냐 to the verb stem.
So, it becomes 왔냐?
Let’s read it together!
아니, 이 밤중에 어떻게 혼자 (왔냐)?
Please repeat it at least three times, imagining that you’re shocked by your friend’s action.
Let’s go to the following quiz.
2. 오늘 바쁘면 내일 ( ).
Let’s do it tomorrow if we are busy today.
(１)했다 (2)하자
The answer is number 2!
하다 is “to do.”
You need to attach 자 to the verb stem to make 하자 “let’s do smth.”
Now, let’s read it together.
오늘 바쁘면 내일 (하자).
Please read it and imagine that you’re suggesting it to your friend.
Homework
You are so motivated to learn.
I’m so glad that you’ve watched this far.
Now, I will present a homework gift.
The first assignment is to make three sentences using today’s grammar.
① Make a casual sentence by removing 요 from the 요 form.
For example, you can come up with a sentence like
- 얼른 손 씻고 밥 먹어.
Quickly wash your hands and eat.
② Please tell me something by making a sentence using a noun and -야/이야 (it is smth).
- 이거 생일 선물이야.
This is your birthday present. Ok?
③ Ask a question by using -니 or -냐.
For example,
- 그 남자가 사랑한다고 하니까 그렇게 좋니?
Does it make you so happy that that guy said he loved you?
I got a lot of energy from your homework comments!
So please send me a lot of homework!
The second part of the assignment is memorizing 40 words.
Please memorize 40 words from numbers 81 to 120 on page 1 of the Intermediate Vocabulary List. Once you learn these 40 words, please take the vocabulary quiz on my website.
That’s all!! Great job, everyone!
I will continue supporting you in your Korean language journey so you can make many friends and have wonderful experiences.
Have fun learning Korean!
그럼 오늘도 행복 가득, 웃음 가득한 하루 되세요！
한국어 화이팅, 화이팅, 화이팅！！
Vocabulary Test : 40 Questions
